1940 Rocky Mountain Conference football season

The 1940 Rocky Mountain Conference football season was the season of college football played by the five member schools of the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) as part of the 1940 college football season.

The Colorado College Tigers, led by head coach Clark DeGroot, won the RMC championship with a 5–2–1 record (2–0–1 against conference opponents). End Tom Pelican and halfback Don Heizer received first-team honors on the All-Rocky Mountain Conference team.

The Colorado Mines Orediggers, led by John Mason, finished in second place with a 3–4 record (3–1 against RMC opponents). The conference championship was decided on October 19 when the Orediggers lost to Colorado College, 28–21, at Washburn Field in Colorado Springs. Four Colorado Mines players, including quarterback Joe Berta, received first-team honors on the 1940 All-Rocky Mountain Conference football team.

The 1940 Colorado College Tigers football team represented Colorado College of Colorado Springs, Colorado. In their first and only season under head coach Clark DeGroot, the Tigers compiled a 5–2–1 record (2–0–1 against RMC opponents) and won the RMC championship. The team played its home games at Washburn Field in Colorado Springs.

End Tom Pelican and halfback Don Heizer received first-team honors on the All-Rocky Mountain Conference team. Despite his size (five feet, six inches, and 156 pounds), Heizer was rated highly by opposing coaches "for his driving ball carrying, his pass catching and his general defensive play."^[1]

Colorado College was ranked at No. 328 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.^[2]

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 27	Baker*	Washburn Field Colorado Springs, CO	W 16–0		[3]
October 5	New Mexico Normal*	Washburn Field Colorado Springs, CO	W 37–7		[4]
October 12	at Whitman*	Walla Walla, WA	W 6–0		[5]
October 19	Colorado Mines	Washburn Field Colorado Springs, CO	W 28–21	4,214	[6]
November 2	at Western State	Gunnison, CO	T 0–0		[7]
November 11	Colorado State-Greeley	Washburn Field Colorado Springs, CO	W 20–7		[8]
November 23	at Grinnell*	Grinnell, IA	L 12–26	500	[9]
November 30	Occidental*	Washburn Field Colorado Springs, CO	L 6–25		[10]
*Non-conference game Homecoming

The 1940 Colorado Mines Orediggers football team represented the Colorado School of Mines of Golden, Colorado. In their fourth season under head coach John Mason, the Orediggers compiled a 3–4 record (3–1 against RMC opponents) and finished in second place in the RMC. The team played its home games at Campbell Field in Golden.

Four Colorado Mines players received first-team honors from the Associated Press on the 1940 All-Rocky Mountain Conference football team. They were: quarterback Joe Berta; end Louis DeGoes; tackle Dick Moe; and center Glen Hutchinson.^[1]

Colorado Mines was ranked at No. 387 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.^[2]

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 28	vs. Colorado A&M*	Denver University Stadium Denver, CO	L 0–25		[11]
October 5	at Creighton*	Creighton Stadium Omaha, NE	L 0–43		[12]
October 12	Colorado State-Greeley	Campbell Field Golden, CO	W 12–7		[13]
October 19	at Colorado College	Washburn Field Colorado Springs, CO	L 21–28	4,214	[6]
November 2	Montana State	Campbell Field Golden, CO	W 20–7		[14]
November 9	at Western State	Gunnison, CO	W 12–0		[15]
November 21	at Fresno State	Fresno State College Stadium Fresno, CA	L 0–28	7,256	[16]
*Non-conference game Homecoming

The 1940 Montana State Bobcats football team represented Montana State College (later renamed Montana State University) of Bozeman, Montana. In their 11th season under head coach Schubert R. Dyche, the Bobcats compiled a 4–4 record.^[17]

Montana State was ranked at No. 397 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.^[2]

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 21	Western State (CO)	Gatton Field Bozeman, MT	W 12–0		[18]
September 23	San Jose State*	Butte High Stadium Butte, MT	L 0–32	4,000	[19]
September 27	at Drake*	Drake Stadium Des Moines, IA	L 0–56	8,000	[20]
October 5	North Dakota Agricultural*	Gatton Field Bozeman, MT	W 7–0	2,500	[21]
October 19	vs. Montana*	Butte High Stadium Butte, MT (rivalry)	L 0–6	6,000	[22]
October 26	Colorado State-Greeley	Gatton Field Bozeman, MT	W 7–0		[23]
November 2	at Colorado Mines	Campbell Field Golden, CO	L 7–20		[14]
November 11	at Idaho Southern Branch*	Spud Bowl Pocatello, ID	W 15–7		[24]
*Non-conference game Homecoming

The 1940 Colorado State–Greeley Bears football team represented Colorado State College at Greeley, Colorado (now known as the University of Northern Colorado). Led by head coach John W. Hancock, the Bears compiled a 2–5–1 record (1–3 against RMC opponents) and finished in fourth place in the RMC.

Halfback Sam Sears and fullback Horace Brelsford, both juniors, were selected by the Associated Press as first-team players on the 1940 All-Rocky Mountain Conference team.^[1]

The team played its home games at Jackson Field in Greeley, Colorado.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
October 4	Idaho Southern*	Jackson Field Greeley, CO	W 21–7		[25][26]
October 12	at Colorado Mines	Campbell Field Golden, CO	L 7–12		[13]
October 19	Western State	Jackson Field Greeley, Co	W 33–12		[27]
October 26	at Montana State	Gatton Field Bozeman, MT	L 0–7		[23]
November 2	Fort Hays State	Jackson Field Greeley, CO	T 0–0		[28]
November 11	at Colorado College	Colorado Springs, CO	L 7–20		[8]
November 16	at Arizona State	Goodwin Stadium Tempe, AZ	L 0–41	5,000	[29]
November 23	Regis*	Jackson Field Greeley, CO	L 12–13		[30]
*Non-conference game Homecoming

The 1940 Western State Mountaineers football team represented Western State College of Colorado at Gunnison, Colorado (now known as the Western Colorado University). In their sixth year under head coach Paul Wright, the Mountaineers compiled a 2–6–1 record (0–3–1 against RMC opponents) and finished in fifth place in the RMC.

Western Colorado was ranked at No. 475 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.^[2]

The Associated Press selected the following players as first-team honorees on the all-conference team.

• Quarterback - Joe Berta, Colorado Mines
• Halfbacks - Don Heizer, Colorado College; Sam Sears, Greeley
• Fullback - Horace Brelsford, Greeley
• Ends - Louis DeGoes, Colorado Mines; Tom Pelican, Colorado College
• Tackles - Dick Moe, Colorado Mines; Jack Burke, Montana State
• Guards - Rudy Aganski, Western State; Newell Berg, Montana State
• Center - Glen Hutchinson, Colorado Mines.

^[1]